The Time of My Life         
By Lauren Oliver

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I blink my eyes and do a double take. No, that can’t be Love Hewitt, I think to myself. The person just inches away, close enough to touch, doesn’t look anything like her. Star-struck, I suddenly remember seeing her in person a couple of years ago, and remember that she didn’t look anything like the way she appears onscreen. And then I think it just has to be her.

Smiling back at her, I answer her question, “Too hot.” I respond. Hearing her laugh, I am now positive that it is her. “Think we’ll ever get out of this mess?” I ask. She replies, “Not anytime soon.” I tell her that I’ve been a fan of hers ever since she was on Kids Incorporated. “Wow, that was a long time ago, you actually watched that show?” She replies in embarrassment. I just laugh.

She asks me where I’m going and I tell her to Universal City Walk, and that I’m just visiting California. “Cool, she says back. “You’ll really enjoy it; it’s really a fun place to go.” She asks me where I’m from. I tell her New Jersey, and she gives me the thumbs up sign. I ask her where she’s going and she tells me she’s going to the set of Party of Five.

“Cool. It’s always been one of my favorite shows,” I tell her. She tells me it’s Scott Wolf’s birthday, and everyone on the set is throwing this huge party for him. “Hey.” “Would you like to come with me, if you don’t mind skipping out on Universal City Walk?” “Of course I would love to come”, I say. “I can always go to City Walk a different day. I’m here for two weeks.”

“After the traffic lets up, just get into my lane and follow me.” “It’s not that long a ride to the studio,” she says. After having been stuck in traffic for half an hour it finally lets up. I pull into the lane behind the limo and I continue to follow it into the studio gates. Finding a parking space, the limo pulls into it. I park in the space next to it and I get out of the car. I can’t believe this is happening to me, I think to myself.

Love comes up behind me and says to follow her as she links her arm with mine. I look around me and I’m in complete shock. I hope I’m not dreaming. We walk around for a little bit and then we reach the soundstage to where the show is taped.

We walk in quietly. Matthew Fox and Lacey Chabert are filming a scene. Love motions me over to where Neve Campbell is studying her lines. Neve looks up and smiles. Love introduces me as her new friend as Neve shakes my hand. “Hope you like California. It’s a great state, other than the traffic jams.” She says. Then we all burst out laughing. We get a loud hush from the director and then we are quiet.

We go over to the Craft Services table where Paula Deviqu is eating a piece of fruit. I get introduced to her and then we all start talking about Scott’s birthday. “Where is he anyway?” Neve asks. “I saw him about 20 minutes ago, going into his dressing room.” I turn around to where the voice had come from and it’s Lacey Chabert, having finished her scene.

After getting introduced to her, Lacey tells me that Scott has no idea that everyone is planning this party for him and that she teases him all the time, saying that he’s old enough to be her uncle. I laugh. All of a sudden Matthew Fox comes up to us and says, “What’s so funny?” He laughs after we tell him. Then says, “Yeah, he is a little too old to be playing a 21 year old.” We all burst out laughing. “Hey! How come nobody invited me to the party?” Scott asks, joining our group. We all gasp, thinking that some how he had found out about the party planned for him later on that day, and then we all realize that he’s just talking about the fun the six of us are having at the moment.

“Love!” he calls out, suddenly realizing she’s here. He runs up to her and gives her a big bear hug. Upon seeing me, he asks, “Who’s this?” Love introduces me, and then he gives me a big hug. I tell him happy birthday. “Thanks”, he says, glaring at his cast mates, “At least some people care.”

They try to avoid his eyes. They can not let on what they have planned. Love and Lacey take me out outside and take me on a tour of the lot. “We hate doing this to him.” Lacey tells me. But, we absolutely have to keep quiet about the party.” They ask me to stay for it. I tell them I will.

We go back inside the studio. The director said that Scott went out to get something to eat. This being the clue, they all start getting ready for the party and I help. When Scott comes back thirty-five minutes later with Matthew the set is dark.

“Where did everyone go?” Scott asks. “No clue.” Matthew says back. Then all of a sudden the lights come back on and everyone jumps from out of their hiding places and shouts, “Happy Birthday”, as balloons and streamers fall from the ceiling. Scott is definitely surprised. “I knew something was up.” Scott says. “Yeah right,” Neve jokingly says to him as she and Lacey give him a hug. “Happy Birthday, Uncle Scott,” Lacey says. He gives her a noogie.

Music comes on and everybody starts dancing. Scott grabs me and starts to dance with me. I can’t stop laughing at the way he dances. After the music stops, Neve and Paula come out wheeling a cake and everyone starts to sing Happy Birthday. I look at Scott and he has a huge grin on his face.

“You better blow all of those candles out now”, Lacey tells him. “You wouldn’t want to start an inferno.” Scott just looks at her and blows them out. Everyone cheers. He comes up behind me and rubs all cake all over my face. I get him back, which starts a cake fight between everyone.

After ten minutes go by everyone goes to get cleaned up and then the music starts again. I’m having so much fun that I don’t even realize that time is going by. Before I know it the party’s over and it’s time for me to go back to my hotel. Saying goodbye to everyone, giving them all hugs, and promising to stay in touch, Love walks me out to my car.

“Are you sure you know how to get back?” she asks. “I’m pretty sure.” I say back to her. We hug and I tell her, “Thanks for giving me the time of my life.”

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